- See README For Details
GRIDPLUS is a package intended to simplify GUI screen layout development for TCL/TK
programmers. GRIDPLUS is the second in a series of packages aimed at producing a framework
for development/distribution of "database" applications written in TCL/TK, but I feel that
some of the packages may also be of more general interest. The first package ICONS,
released 2002, was originally developed to be used with GRIDPLUS.
Firstly: GRIDPLUS is not a "Visual" design tool.
GRIDPLUS is a "Grid" based layout system which builds on, simplifies and extends the
existing grid manager. GRIDPLUS layouts are defined as a hierarchy of grids. Each
cell in a grid consists of two elements. These will usually be a text label and some
other widget such as an entry. It is also allowed to have just one element in a cell, or
a cell which is empty. GRIDPLUS grids can also be stretched to neatly fill the cells in
which they are positioned. While the GRIDPLUS grid can be used "native", GRIDPLUS commands
exist to create grids of buttons, checkbuttons,
entries, links and radiobuttons.
All places where text can be displayed make use of the TCL message catalogue
facility.
In effect GRIDPLUS is much more than an alternative to the grid geometry manager, it
provides most, if not all, of the facilities required to build complete screens/windows.
Although aimed at producing data entry/update/display form screens for database applications,
it may be useful for other tasks.
Here are some examples to give you an idea.
GRIDPLUS also includes the following features:-
- Scrollable text widget with support for tags.
- Scrollable tablelist.
- Scrollable tree.
- Basic notebook type widget.
- Simple drop-down menus.
- Simple method to specify widget traversal order when using the TAB key to navigate the screen.
- A group facility to enable/disable groups of widgets and menu options.
- Facility to include non-GRIDPLUS widgets in groups.
- Simple pattern/procedure based entry validations.
- Works with toplevel windows.
Dr Csaba Nemithi: For the excellent tablelist package.
Tcl/Tk | Version 8.4 or greater. |
ICONS | For GRIDPLUS icon button support (Optional). |
Tablelist | For GRIDPLUS tablelist support (Optional). |
GRIDPLUS Download File Contents:
LICENSE.gridplus | GRIDPLUS package license/copyright terms. |
gridplus.tcl | GRIDPLUS package script. |
pkgIndex.tcl | GRIDPLUS package index script. |
To Install the GRIDPLUS Package (TGZ):
- Create an empty directory in which to unpack the GRIDPLUS download file.
- Copy the GRIDPLUS download file into the new directory.
- Use cd to change to the new directory (if not already there).
- Unpack the GRIDPLUS download file using tar.
- tar -xvof gridplus.tar
- Start a TCL/TK Console session.
- Display, and make a note of, the library directory using the TCL info command.
- info library
- NOTE: You may need to switch to the root (or other) user. Depending on your system.
- Create a sub-directory called gridplus1.2 under the "library" directory.
- Use chmod command to set permissions for the gridplus1.2 directory.
- chmod 755 gridplus1.2
- Copy the GRIDPLUS package files (gridplus.tcl and pkgIndex.tcl) to the gridplus1.2 directory.
- Use cd command to change to the gridplus1.2 directory.
- Use chmod command to set permissions for gridplus.tcl and pkgIndex.tcl.
- chmod 755 *
To Install the GRIDPLUS Package (ZIP):
- Create an empty directory in which to unzip the GRIDPLUS download file.
- Copy the GRIDPLUS download file into the new directory.
- Unzip the GRIDPLUS download file using pkzip.
- Start a TCL/TK Console session.
- Display, and make a note of, the library directory using the TCL info command.
- info library
- Create a sub-directory called gridplus1.2 under the "library" directory.
- Copy the GRIDPLUS package files (gridplus.tcl and pkgIndex.tcl) to the gridplus1.2 directory.
Using The GRIDPLUS StarKit
|
In addition to the GRIDPLUS package detailed in the installation, the download
page also has an option to download a StarKit containing all of the necessary
packages to run the GRIDPLUS examples.
The StarKit is also a useful simply as a tool to try out the GRIDPLUS system.
Copyright © 2005 Adrian Davis.